Compensation makes up 46 per cent of the City’s operating budget, and that figure is consistent with most other municipalities. Emergency Services (Police, Fire, and Land Ambulance) represents 38.8 per cent of total compensation or 17.9 per cent of total operating budget.

The City is actively managing compensation costs and has already achieved approximately $1 million in savings through more efficient administration of employee benefits

The City is overhauling its overtime system in response to findings of an internal audit. The City expects to find cost savings as it acts and reports on the recommendations of the audit, and applies overtime more consistently and transparently throughout the organization.

Compensation figures presented in a report authored by the Canadian Taxpayer Federation (CTF) were also discussed during the meeting. The City welcomes objective comparative analysis of municipal finances, but this report is not one. In fact, the CTF cited several flaws in its own data collection and analysis.

A more accurate analysis in included in the annual BMA Municipal Study. The study evaluates and compares 86 cities across Ontario, and finds Guelph to have positive tax, water/wastewater and affordability.